🙂 Whole-body health: 3 ways to approach employee well-being

Mental, physical, and social health are related and must be considered as a combination.

Lately, I have been thinking about how we define health. Too often, we try to slot health into neat and tidy categories. We view mental, physical, and social wellness as existing independently of each other. In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth: All aspects of our well-being are interconnected and impact each other. 

As a business leader, a parent, and a former social worker, I’ve seen how the mind impacts the body, and vice versa, again and again. Personally, I’ve seen that on days when I get too busy to get in some movement—whether that means my regular spin session or a quick hike outdoors—my mood suffers, as does my sleep. This makes sense because the brain and the body are inseparable, and this connection is hardwired into the structure of our brains. 

People with long-term physical conditions are more likely to experience mental health struggles, and the reverse is also true—long-term mental health challenges are linked to an increased incidence of physical illness. Consider this: People with diabetes are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop depression and people with severe depression are 3 times more likely to experience a cardiac event. 

Read the complete Fast Company article BY JENNIFER GENDRON: https://www.fastcompany.com/90958929/whole-body-health-3-ways-to-approach-employee-wellbeing